God's Most Common Command

"Never stop praying." --1 Thessalonians 5:17

Read: 1 Thessalonians 5

Of all the things God calls us to do, what does he require more than any other? No doubt it's to give to the poor. No wait, I know -- it's to love one another, for sure. What could be more important than that? Well, believe it or not, the most common command found in scripture is to pray.

Without question, God wants to hear from us -- from the times we need Him, to when He deserves our praise. And since we've never lived one second when either reason wasn't true, I suppose we have our answer.

You know, it dawns on me. We spend so much time on either the phone, on Twitter or updating Facebook. And all the while, God, our best friend who loves us more than anyone, is hanging on our every thought. Like a proud, new dad when he hears his daughter's first words, God is at the edge of His seat, ready to hear our status update. Brings a lump to my throat when I picture Him asking, "What's happening now?"

--Jimmy Peña

Question: How much time do you spend on social media? Are you willing to commit 5-10 of those minutes a day talking to God? Truly, we are never more powerful than when we are on our knees in prayer.

RACING FUEL
Why going completely empty may not be the best option to burn the most fat

Many people think that getting out for an early run on an empty stomach is a great way to burn bodyfat. Those people aren't wrong -- but they're not entirely right, either.

Since your brain runs on glucose (blood sugar), when you wake up in the morning, your body is in a carb-depleted state. So going for a run before eating means that your body is likely to tap into fat stores for fuel sooner. But it can also put you at risk of losing muscle.

"You don't want to go on a completely empty stomach," says Jim Stoppani, PhD, nutritional authority and co-author of "PrayFit: Your Guide to a Healthy Body and a Stronger Faith in 28 Days." "A better approach is to take 5-10 grams of branched chain amino acids (BCAA), which provide the body with fuel while sparing muscle tissue."

So for your next early run, don't go completely empty. Top off the tank with 5-10 grams of BCAA to supplement your stride and to help you retain your muscle mass.